Telmisartan and Valsartan Linked with Lower Risk of Heart Disease in Diabetics

Two angiotensin-receptor blockers, telmisartan and valsartan, were each linked with about a 15% lower risk of hospitalization for heart attack, stroke, or heart failure than other drugs in their class (candesartan, irbesartan, and losartan). The CMAJ study examined data from 54,186 Ontario residents with diabetes who were older than age 65 and who took angiotensin-receptor blockers between 2001 and 2010. The findings suggest that important differences exist in the effectiveness of angiotensin-receptor blockers when used for the prevention of diabetes-related macrovascular disease.